


The Unexpected Gift

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Reader Prompts JL [16]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Christmas Fluff, Developing Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Hogwarts, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Prompt Fic, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: Sirius proposes a secret santa gift exchange and Lily couldn't be more excited - until she pulls out James Potter's name.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Series: Reader Prompts JL [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/881871
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	The Unexpected Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [midnightelite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightelite/gifts).



When Sirius suggested they all do a secret Santa gift exchange, Lily had been super excited. It was such a fun idea! Besides, Christmas was her favourite holiday, and she couldn’t wait to spread some Christmas cheer!

And then she had pulled out James Potter’s name from Peter’s wool hat and her good mood had instantly soured.

For a brief moment, she’d been tempted to beg Remus to switch with her.

But Lily Evans was not a quitter.

She would embody the true Christmas spirit, put aside her personal issues with James Potter, and get him the best damn gift ever.

The only problem was that she had no clue what to get him.

Some reconnaissance was clearly in order so Lily went full Christmas elf, spending a whole week observing James Potter as closely and discreetly as she could.

After the week, Lily still wasn’t sure what present to get for James but her view of him was forever altered. 

The arrogant, annoying boy she remembered and had still believed him to be had been nowhere to be seen.

Instead, she’d been observing a funny, talented and considerate young man who seemed to be equally brilliant in the classroom as he was in the Quidditch field.

The kind of person who made people laugh, took notes for his friend when they had to miss class due to being ill, stopped to help a group of third years with their homework in the Common Room. 

It all left Lily thoroughly confused. How had she not _seen_ any of this before? 

The not very good opinion she’d had of James Potter ended up being wholly groundless. This made Lily feel a little foolish, which in turn caused her to spend an entire Saturday being irrationally angry at James Potter for being such a Decent Person.

Then she swallowed her pride, moved onto acceptance and admitted she had been very unfair to James Potter for much too long.

Which meant that now she really had to find the perfect present for him.

Lily had never been so fretful over a present before and the closer the holiday got the more nervous she grew.

It didn’t help either, that this year they’d all decided to stay at Hogwarts for the Chrismas holiday. She couldn’t simply owl James’ gift over, she’d have to stand there and watch him open it. 

She wrapped the gift with meticulous care – she was so jittery about this present she had even agonised over the wrapping paper choices for ages!

And then, on Christmas morning, when Lily and the marauders converged into the Common Room, slumping into the group of armchairs by the fireplace, her stomach turned when Sirius started handing out the presents.

She barely took notice of the gift Sirius tossed at her; all her focus was on the present in James’ hands. 

He turned it this way and that, as if trying to see inside.

The bottom of Lily’s stomach gave a lurch.

“Can we open them now?” Peter asked.

“Go ahead,” Sirius said, waving his hand. 

Peter and James immediately tore into their presents, quickly followed by Sirius. Remus was opening his in a more orderly fashion, while Lily was still ignoring her own gift.

She was staring at James’ face as he peeled aside the wrapping paper. Behind his glasses, James’ hazel eyes grew wide with surprise and alight with happiness. 

His grin was so bright and wide that the nervousness that had been so madly skittering inside Lily only moments earlier instantly turned into a giddy flutter.

She looked down at the still wrapped-up gift in her lap, warmth welling up in her chest and smiled.


End file.
